New developments since 2011:
Reasons for not updating this blog have been mostly due to my husband's ancestors in Pielisjärvi Finland. Bishop Paulus Juusten at Viborg, some speculative Sursill family members, Lithovius-Limingius etc. have kept me busy.
Still, I've been able to recognise some uncertain individuals in my own family tree as well. Georg/Jöran Villig (b. 20.3.1724) seems to be son of Michel Jöransson from Reinikka at Kokemäki Williö (21.9.1692-9.1766) village and his wife Valborg Marci (1686-1758).
Other new findings include parents of Maria Michelsdotter (1773 Maaria-13.6.1819 Yläne Tourula), great... grand mother of my grand father Aarne Wirtanen). Maria's parents are Michel Samuelsson Keskitalo and his wife Carin Johansdotter Keskylä (1.5.1748 Rusko Merttelä-23.1.1820 Yläne Tourula). My previous speculations about Maria's mother appear to be wrong.
By the way, I can be contacted (in Finnish and English) at firstname.surname (at) hotmail.com.
Sunday, 14 December 2014
Sunday, 2 January 2011
Kokemäki Williö, soldier Villig or Frivillig
Some New Years lament...
Why did people move with their families from one village to another, if they did not have any property waiting? Quite often old grandpparents were taken care of their children and stayed a year here, another there. Another reason might have been a wish to find well-to-do relatives, if life became hard with small children to take care of.
But why did old soldier Georg - or Jöran - Villig leave his patron farm in Kokemäki and go to Huittinen? His wife was born in Kokemäki, and Jörans patronym seems to suggest that he was Williö Hyörä's younger son. or was he?
Lord of the Kokemäki Williö Hyörä farmhouse, Michael Andersson, is buried 13 May in 1725. He is followed as a farmer his daughter Lisa's husband Petter. The communion book 1727-32 mentiones 'Michael's son', but gives no first name.
Later, in 1746-57, the soldier no 57 is named as Jöran Michaelsson Villig (b. 20.3.1724). Sold. Jöran Frivillig and pig. Brita Henr. dr from Pyhänkorwa (b. 7.10.1724) are married 29.12.1745 and they stay at Williö Hyörä until 1757, and Huittinen from 1758.
Children in Kokemäki
Anna 23.10.1746, Jakob 25.6.1749, Johan 8.12.1751, Valborg 4.4.1754, Anders 13.11.1757
and in Huittinen at least
Thomas 16.11.1758
Why did the family go to Huittinen after Jöran had retired? Brita dies in Huittinen 22.6.1774 and Jöran marries Anna Andersdotter 26.2.1775 (b. 4.10.1752 Lauttakylä Bengtilä). The children from the first marriage disappear. Die, start to work, stay with relatives in Kokemäki... who knows?
More children are born in Huittinen:
Thomas 5.12.1775, Matts 24.2.1777, Henrik 22.10.1778.
Finally, this family moves 12.3.1780 to Anna's sister Carin, who has married to Kiikka Hoipola Hoipo. Jöran dies 13.3.1784 and Anna is married to Jakob Thomasson Isokesti in Kiikka. Thomas Jöransson is married to Anna Kamppi from Tyrvää, but again the brothers matts and Henrik disappear.
New children are born, they stay in Kiikka and can be followed easily.
Sometimes no written prove seem to be found, no path to follow. Just doing it the hard way, trying to interpret sometimes quite illegible handwriting...
Why did people move with their families from one village to another, if they did not have any property waiting? Quite often old grandpparents were taken care of their children and stayed a year here, another there. Another reason might have been a wish to find well-to-do relatives, if life became hard with small children to take care of.
But why did old soldier Georg - or Jöran - Villig leave his patron farm in Kokemäki and go to Huittinen? His wife was born in Kokemäki, and Jörans patronym seems to suggest that he was Williö Hyörä's younger son. or was he?
Lord of the Kokemäki Williö Hyörä farmhouse, Michael Andersson, is buried 13 May in 1725. He is followed as a farmer his daughter Lisa's husband Petter. The communion book 1727-32 mentiones 'Michael's son', but gives no first name.
Later, in 1746-57, the soldier no 57 is named as Jöran Michaelsson Villig (b. 20.3.1724). Sold. Jöran Frivillig and pig. Brita Henr. dr from Pyhänkorwa (b. 7.10.1724) are married 29.12.1745 and they stay at Williö Hyörä until 1757, and Huittinen from 1758.
Children in Kokemäki
Anna 23.10.1746, Jakob 25.6.1749, Johan 8.12.1751, Valborg 4.4.1754, Anders 13.11.1757
and in Huittinen at least
Thomas 16.11.1758
Why did the family go to Huittinen after Jöran had retired? Brita dies in Huittinen 22.6.1774 and Jöran marries Anna Andersdotter 26.2.1775 (b. 4.10.1752 Lauttakylä Bengtilä). The children from the first marriage disappear. Die, start to work, stay with relatives in Kokemäki... who knows?
More children are born in Huittinen:
Thomas 5.12.1775, Matts 24.2.1777, Henrik 22.10.1778.
Finally, this family moves 12.3.1780 to Anna's sister Carin, who has married to Kiikka Hoipola Hoipo. Jöran dies 13.3.1784 and Anna is married to Jakob Thomasson Isokesti in Kiikka. Thomas Jöransson is married to Anna Kamppi from Tyrvää, but again the brothers matts and Henrik disappear.
New children are born, they stay in Kiikka and can be followed easily.
Sometimes no written prove seem to be found, no path to follow. Just doing it the hard way, trying to interpret sometimes quite illegible handwriting...
Friday, 1 October 2010
Widening the scope
Old archives can reveal names and other basic data on individuals born more than 125 years ago. If you get lucky, your relatives have have been land-owners, registered professionals, university graduates etc. and can thus be found in wider range of written sources.
Suddenly the gretest problem may be those relatives, whose data is related to newer material, years 1900 and later. Finding new, still living relatives may depend on pure coincidence. My grand-uncles relatives is a good example of that.
Suddenly the gretest problem may be those relatives, whose data is related to newer material, years 1900 and later. Finding new, still living relatives may depend on pure coincidence. My grand-uncles relatives is a good example of that.
Sunday, 4 January 2009
Dragoun Eric Laurén - In search for a solder's real identity
Eric Laurén, living in Somero 1759-1815, appeared to be a complicated case. He served in Major's Company according to a memoire: 'Åbo 17. Nov. 1788, signed by Lejonhjelm, ' Alla hem turna' (All returned home). Dragoun Eric Laurén is at the time '28 år gammal 14.10.1786, med liten blås, 5 1/2 ft.hög' (28 years old, with a little bruise, 5,5 feet tall'.
Solders are difficult to trase, because their patronym is usually missing and also the exact date of birth. In Eric's case the date of birth was finally found and his route as a young farm-hand in Somero region could be followed. Some mistakes made by contemporary parish clerks could still be found.
1781-1815 Eric Laurén (1759), wife Chirstin Jöransdotter (1750) and children Jacob (1778), Maria (1782), Elisabet, Lisa (1785), Helena (1790-91) and Brita (1792) live in dragouns cottage at Somero Suojoki Matti's farm.
The birth date for Eric is given as 7.5.1759, (here the Finnish date order, dd.mm.yyyy is significant!) only in the 1781-1791 communion book, when Eric lives with his wife Chirstin Jöransdotter, her son Johan Johansson from previous relationship, and Eric's son Jacob in the Somero Suojoki dragouns cottage.
1777-1779 wife Chirstin Jöransdotter and son Jacob, b. 1778, stay at Somerniemi Jakkula village Hamppula farm, while 'huusman tjänar på prästgården' (husband works for the parsonage).
5.7.1778 Jacobus is born at Somerniemi to 'Drg. Eric ____son Chirstin Jöransd:r b. 1750', Eric's patronym is not given here!
12th October 1777: Eric Simonsson (this false patronym caused a remarkable delay in finding the actual Eric!), a farm-hand from Suojoki, is married at Somerniemi chapel to Chirstin Jöransdotter from Jakkula.
10th October 1777, Eric Ericsson, b. 7.5.1759, receives his first communion and gets the permit to get married in Somero Pastor's farm, later Eric is informed to move on to Suojoki in 1780.
1777-1780 farm-hand Eric Ericsson, b. 7.5.1759, from Suojoki, at parsonage farms in Jaatila.
1772 farm-hand Eric Ericsson, b. 7.5.1759 (here April is, obviously by mistake, replaced by number 5, which stays from this on!) , from Kasei (Somero Kaskisto Kasei), at Suojoki.
1772 Eric Ericsson, b. Apr. 7th 1759, from Lautela, at Kasei, to Suojoki.
1771 'pojken' (young boy) Eric Ericsson, b. Apr. 7th 1759, at Terttilä Kapo (Terttilä and Lautela are partly overlapping), to Kasei.
1764-1769 Eric Ericsson, b. Apr. 7th 1759, at Culdela Theri, twice.
1763 Eric Ericsson, b. Apr. 7th 1759, at Lautela Räyhä (born 1759) and Culdela Theri.
1763 Eric Ericsson, b. Apr. 7th 1759, at Terttilä Kapo, to Culdela Theri.
Eric's parents live at Terttilä Kapo until 1763, when both die of some fever disease. There are several children in the family, and they are scattered in different farms in Somero and Kiikala regions.
Eric's father is a soldier, Eric Christersson Hurtig (1.4.1728-30.6.1763), a cousin to Terttilä Kapo's farmer Matts Ericsson Kapo from his mother's side. Eric's mother is Maria Johansdotter (13.3.1721-22.6.1763) from Lautela.
Eric's grandfather is also a soldier, Mathias Arfält (written also Årfält or Arrfell), from the same region.
Somero's communion books have suffered from fires, which were quite common in timber-built churches and parsonages. Some information in the books has been added later, and this may explain several mistakes in spelling and dates.
Solders are difficult to trase, because their patronym is usually missing and also the exact date of birth. In Eric's case the date of birth was finally found and his route as a young farm-hand in Somero region could be followed. Some mistakes made by contemporary parish clerks could still be found.
1781-1815 Eric Laurén (1759), wife Chirstin Jöransdotter (1750) and children Jacob (1778), Maria (1782), Elisabet, Lisa (1785), Helena (1790-91) and Brita (1792) live in dragouns cottage at Somero Suojoki Matti's farm.
The birth date for Eric is given as 7.5.1759, (here the Finnish date order, dd.mm.yyyy is significant!) only in the 1781-1791 communion book, when Eric lives with his wife Chirstin Jöransdotter, her son Johan Johansson from previous relationship, and Eric's son Jacob in the Somero Suojoki dragouns cottage.
1777-1779 wife Chirstin Jöransdotter and son Jacob, b. 1778, stay at Somerniemi Jakkula village Hamppula farm, while 'huusman tjänar på prästgården' (husband works for the parsonage).
5.7.1778 Jacobus is born at Somerniemi to 'Drg. Eric ____son Chirstin Jöransd:r b. 1750', Eric's patronym is not given here!
12th October 1777: Eric Simonsson (this false patronym caused a remarkable delay in finding the actual Eric!), a farm-hand from Suojoki, is married at Somerniemi chapel to Chirstin Jöransdotter from Jakkula.
10th October 1777, Eric Ericsson, b. 7.5.1759, receives his first communion and gets the permit to get married in Somero Pastor's farm, later Eric is informed to move on to Suojoki in 1780.
1777-1780 farm-hand Eric Ericsson, b. 7.5.1759, from Suojoki, at parsonage farms in Jaatila.
1772 farm-hand Eric Ericsson, b. 7.5.1759 (here April is, obviously by mistake, replaced by number 5, which stays from this on!) , from Kasei (Somero Kaskisto Kasei), at Suojoki.
1772 Eric Ericsson, b. Apr. 7th 1759, from Lautela, at Kasei, to Suojoki.
1771 'pojken' (young boy) Eric Ericsson, b. Apr. 7th 1759, at Terttilä Kapo (Terttilä and Lautela are partly overlapping), to Kasei.
1764-1769 Eric Ericsson, b. Apr. 7th 1759, at Culdela Theri, twice.
1763 Eric Ericsson, b. Apr. 7th 1759, at Lautela Räyhä (born 1759) and Culdela Theri.
1763 Eric Ericsson, b. Apr. 7th 1759, at Terttilä Kapo, to Culdela Theri.
Eric's parents live at Terttilä Kapo until 1763, when both die of some fever disease. There are several children in the family, and they are scattered in different farms in Somero and Kiikala regions.
Eric's father is a soldier, Eric Christersson Hurtig (1.4.1728-30.6.1763), a cousin to Terttilä Kapo's farmer Matts Ericsson Kapo from his mother's side. Eric's mother is Maria Johansdotter (13.3.1721-22.6.1763) from Lautela.
Eric's grandfather is also a soldier, Mathias Arfält (written also Årfält or Arrfell), from the same region.
Somero's communion books have suffered from fires, which were quite common in timber-built churches and parsonages. Some information in the books has been added later, and this may explain several mistakes in spelling and dates.
Friday, 26 December 2008
Axel Wirtanen from Sagu Finland
At the end of the 19th century it was quite common among the young men living in the archipelago or on coastal areas to work for a few years on board a commercial ship. Most of those young men returned to their home islands, but some of them stayed abroad. There may still be distant relatives living in Australia, Spain, USA...
Many of the stories stay open. In some cases the history of the person himself is known, but nothing of his decendants. The following story is one of those, the story of Axel.
My grandfathers elder brother, Axel Willehad Wirtanen, born 12.7.1896 in Parainen Finland, sailed as a young man to USA.
According to Ellis Island's documents he arrived in New York the 5th of July in 1917 as a crew member on 'Ausable'. He was granted citizenship the 1st of May in 1919 and was married ab. the same year. Axel's sister Elli stayed for a while with Axel and his family, then later for a few years with other families of Finnish origin, but returned to Finland for a vacation, married and stayed. Based on her stories and communion books of Sagu parish in Finland, the brother Axel was married to a daughter of a French captain of one of the ships he was sailing on.
In 1922 Axel and his family lived at Apt. 23, 411-East-100St. New York N.Y.
In 1923 he is mentioned as a crew member and US citizen on 'Roma' coming from Marseilles, Bouches-du-Rhone, France. The captain of the ship is Antonie/ Antonin Combernous, age 43.
Axel had one daughter before he died of tuberculousis the 23th of October in 1924. The names and later stages of life of his wife and daughter are unknown. His parents in Finland were, however, informed of his death.
29.12.2010:
Later information has given more light to Axel's family and decendants in USA. I want to thank all his relatives for discussions on this subject.
I've deleted the contents of the comments from the public page, but the information is stored in my personal archives.
Many of the stories stay open. In some cases the history of the person himself is known, but nothing of his decendants. The following story is one of those, the story of Axel.
My grandfathers elder brother, Axel Willehad Wirtanen, born 12.7.1896 in Parainen Finland, sailed as a young man to USA.
According to Ellis Island's documents he arrived in New York the 5th of July in 1917 as a crew member on 'Ausable'. He was granted citizenship the 1st of May in 1919 and was married ab. the same year. Axel's sister Elli stayed for a while with Axel and his family, then later for a few years with other families of Finnish origin, but returned to Finland for a vacation, married and stayed. Based on her stories and communion books of Sagu parish in Finland, the brother Axel was married to a daughter of a French captain of one of the ships he was sailing on.
In 1922 Axel and his family lived at Apt. 23, 411-East-100St. New York N.Y.
In 1923 he is mentioned as a crew member and US citizen on 'Roma' coming from Marseilles, Bouches-du-Rhone, France. The captain of the ship is Antonie/ Antonin Combernous, age 43.
Axel had one daughter before he died of tuberculousis the 23th of October in 1924. The names and later stages of life of his wife and daughter are unknown. His parents in Finland were, however, informed of his death.
29.12.2010:
Later information has given more light to Axel's family and decendants in USA. I want to thank all his relatives for discussions on this subject.
I've deleted the contents of the comments from the public page, but the information is stored in my personal archives.
Monday, 22 December 2008
New Findings
Nauvo
Anna Henriksd has obviously lived in Parainen, Lillmälö Östergård, parents Henrik Andersson and Carin Mattsdotter.
Margareta Henriksdotter's parents are Henrik Eriksson and Carin Mattsdotter in Nauvo Kvivlax.
Yläne
Maria Michelsdotter is from Maaria Mulli's gård, parents Michel Samuelsson Mulli, later Keskitalo in Yläne and Caissa Johansdotter, probably from Hahta gård in Maaria.
Anna Henriksd has obviously lived in Parainen, Lillmälö Östergård, parents Henrik Andersson and Carin Mattsdotter.
Margareta Henriksdotter's parents are Henrik Eriksson and Carin Mattsdotter in Nauvo Kvivlax.
Yläne
Maria Michelsdotter is from Maaria Mulli's gård, parents Michel Samuelsson Mulli, later Keskitalo in Yläne and Caissa Johansdotter, probably from Hahta gård in Maaria.
Thursday, 4 January 2007
Parents for these?
At least the following are not yet verified, born in South-Western Finland
- Anna Henriksd b. 1692 Finland Parainen Lillmälö Östergård, parents Henrik Andersson and Carin Mattsdotter.
- Margareta Henriksd b. ab. 1665 Finland Nauvo, parents are Henrik Eriksson and Carin Mattsdotter in Nauvo Kvivlax?
- Brita Mattsd b. 1726 Finland Nauvo Vikom, parents Matts Simonsson and Brita Mattsdotter (Utter?), who live in Gyttja's torp in Nauvo?
- wife of Diedrik Garf i Finland Asikkala, b. ab. 1700
- Maria Michelsd b. 11.7.1773 Finland Turku Kaerla Mulli?
- Anders Jakobss Spansk b. 20.4.1776 Finland Pöytyä, soldier
- could Adam Matts Krabbe b. 3.3.1808 Finland Pöytyä be father of Johanna, Regina Spansk's daughter?
- Grels Erikss b. 1683 Finland Tammela Haudankorva Jaakkola?
- Henrik Mårtenss Lekka b. 20.4.1676 Finland Tammela Sukula Tolppa?
- Johan Paulss Sahuri? b. 1660 Finland Ypäjä Myllykylä
- Karin Thomasd Skyttä? b. 1610 Finland Tyrvää Lummaja
- could Per Tolfvain from Finland Rauma be father of Henrik Perss Ståhl, an old runaway soldier i Tyrvää 1712?
- Georg/ Jöran Michelss Villig b. 20.3.1724 perhaps in Kokemäki?, soldier, and his (second?) wife Anna Andersd b. 10.4.1752
- Maria Jakobsd Tapper, b. 5.3.1782 Finland Urjala, parents seem to be soldier Jakob Jakobss Tapper, later Uotila, and Brita Simonsdotter b. 30.9.1757 in Urjala Häihälä?
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